By Alondra Valdez, Staff Reporter
When Toro alumnus Jose Garfias enrolled at CSUDH from 2016 to 2020, he found few extracurricular activities on campus for STEM students. Together with a few friends, Garfias pitched the idea of creating a science club that anyone at Dominguez Hills could use as a resource—a one-stop shop for information about medical schools and research opportunities.
That idea eventually led Garfias to found the Chemistry and Biochemistry Club, which opened the door for him to participate in other programs like the Undergraduate Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (U-RISE), Funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, U-RISE “provides support for honors-level students underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences to improve their preparation for Ph.D. programs.” For someone like Garfias, who later benefitted from summer research programs and other post-graduate outreach opportunities, the Chemistry and Biochemistry Club was the stepstone he needed to pursue his academic aspirations.
”I definitely saw an improvement in developing better study habits,” said Garfias, who is now an organic chemistry PhD student at Louisiana State University. “The club taught me a lot of leadership and organization skills that I still use today in my graduate career.”
It’s no secret that CSUDH is primarily a commuter campus. Many Toros just go from home to campus to work and back again. As a result, some students may not realize that there are several organizations at Dominguez Hills to bolster their college experience and support their academic and professional goals.
The office of Leadership, Engagement and Development (LEAD) , oversees all the clubs and organizations at CSUDH. LEAD director Liat Vorobiev told The Bulletin there are 100 different groups that Toros can join on campus to help facilitate their academic pursuits.
Vorobiev said these clubs function not only to serve current students but also their families. Scholars United, for example, aims to support formerly incarcerated youth and their family members pursuing higher education.
Campus clubs and organizations also offer students opportunities to network, develop leadership skills, and step out of their comfort zone. This was the case for senior child development student Elizabeth Valentin, who transferred to CSUDH from El Camino College.
Valentin told The Bulletin that her academic performance improved after she joined the Sigma Lambda Gamma (SLG) sorority . The sorority ensures members stay on track by having them schedule regular meetings with academic advisors. In addition, members are required to keep a study log and have monthly check-ins to monitor their GPA.
Senior human resources student Michelle Gonzalez, another member of SLG, noted that “Toros before Gammas,” is the group’s motto — in other words, school comes first. Gonzalez told The Bulletin that a friend encouraged her to join the sorority. She said being a member has improved her public speaking skills and helped her focus on school work.
“I’ve stopped being a procrastinator, just because my academic advisor has pushed me not to do that and make sure I’m doing everything on time,” Gonzalez said. Both she and Valentin said they plan to give back to SLG after they graduate by supporting recruitment efforts and mentoring future Gammas.
“Building up on leadership skills, so how to work within an organization, how to manage a team of people, communication skills are huge, event planning skills or advocacy planning, you know, all of that is done,” Vorobiev said.
